Signs of a Bullied Child

Signs of A Bullied Child

1) A child loses interest in school and tries hard to avoid school and school events.
2) He/she views school as a very unhappy place to be and/or appears afraid to go to school.
3) A child becomes more withdrawn and sometime cries more frequently than usual.
4) A child can be having nightmares or trouble going to sleep.
5) The child’s grades at school are declining.
6) A child becomes more easily frustrated, defiant or oppositional.
7) The child has begun to get in verbal and/or physical fighting with other children at school.
8) He/she as scratches, bruises, cuts and scrapes he/she cannot explain.
9) Has torn, damaged clothing. Has missing items.

What You Can Do

1) Gather information in a supportive way and assure him/her that sharing information with you is NOT tattling.
2) Assure the child by reporting truthful information to you they will remain safe.
3) Ask questions in quiet ways that explore their peer relationships as well as the academics. “What did you do at recess today?” “What is going on at school?” “How was lunch time today?”
4) When your child expresses negative feelings it is important to let them know that it is normal to feel angry, sad etc.
5) Encourage your child to stick with a friend/s at recess, to and from school and on the school bus.
6) Teach your child to look the bully in the eye and say, “Stop it!”
7) Talk to your child’s teacher.
8) Discover what rules your child’s school has about bullying and discuss your concerns with the school counselor or administrator.
9) Document the time and content of every discussion you have with anyone from the school.
10) Help your child develop talents and interests outside of school.